WTM 2018: Millennial travellers put Instagram ahead of debauchery

Posting the perfect Instagram pic on holiday is more important to young adults than drunken debauchery, reveals research released today by World Travel Market London.

The survey of 2,000 British holidaymakers found just nine per cent of millennials want to get drunk on holiday.

Instead, Instagram matters more now, with a whopping 78 per cent of those aged 25-34 seeking to spur social media envy by posting on the photo-sharing app – closely followed by those in the 18-24 age group, where 63 per cent say they search for social status shots rather than shots of sambuca.

More than two thirds (38 per cent) of those aged 25-34 say they post online more than once a day while they are on holiday, with a similar proportion (37 per cent) of those aged 18-24 posting once a day.

It reflects a seismic shift in attitudes, say travel experts at World Travel Market London, which takes place next month from November 5th-7th.

The research findings come just three days before the last ever Club 18-30 customers head overseas for their final hedonistic holiday, flying from Manchester to the clubbing mecca of Magaluf on October 27th.

At its peak, Club 18-30 spearheaded the drink-and-debauchery holiday scene, taking 110,000 young people a year to the continent for tequila shots, all-night clubbing and late-night trysts with strangers.

Owner Thomas Cook said it is axing the youth travel brand as its holidays are not ‘Instagrammable’.

The closure of Club 18-30 reflects the wider trend of young Brits snubbing alcohol.

A third of those aged 16-24 now do not drink, compared to one fifth in 2015, according to Health Survey for England.

Binge drinking rates have also plunged from 27 per cent in 2005 to 18 per cent.

World Travel Market London spokesman, Paul Nelson, said: “It’s a sobering thought for the older generation of holidaymakers that their drunken antics are just not regarded as cool by younger travellers.

“The travel industry is tapping into this trend because Instagram has an estimated one billion users, so it’s a very influential platform.

“Budget airline easyJet last week unveiled a Look&Book app feature that allows passengers to instantly book flights using just a photo – without the user needing to know the destination.

“You can browse Instagram, take screen-grabs of inspiring photos and then share with, or upload to, the budget airline’s app.”